


an eternity to spend

by sxftmelody



Category: Runaways (TV 2017)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-14
Updated: 2018-01-14
Packaged: 2019-03-04 15:21:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13367490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sxftmelody/pseuds/sxftmelody
Summary: Nico and Karolina have an eternity to spend together, anyway.





	an eternity to spend

 

It’s really hot as the two girls walk down the abandoned hiking trail, sweat trickling down their temples onto their necks. Karolina pauses and turns to look at the girl a little bit behind her. She waves Nico forward. 

 

“Just a little bit more,” she says with a small, encouraging smile. Nico doesn’t smile back, much too tired to lift the corners of her lips—but she does take hold of Karolina’s hand, interlacing their fingers. Their hands are clammy and sweaty but neither of them mind, holding tightly onto each other as they continued. 

 

“It seems farther than i remember,” Nico mumbles as the scorching hot sun begins to set, a dark orange tinge lighting up the sky. In reply comes a laugh without much humor. 

 

“It  _ has  _ been about eighty years,” Karolina replies as she lets go of Nico’s hand momentarily to lift herself onto a rock. She helps the smaller girl up and their hands seem almost magnetic as they tangle back into each other. 

 

“Eighty years,” Karolina repeats under her breath as they near a small opening in the forest. 

 

“Eighty years,” Nico replies in confirmation, tugging Karolina towards a familiar tree engraved with their initials along with four others. Karolina’s free hand goes up to ghost her fingers over them—as if touching the engravings would get her in touch with their missing friends. 

 

“Do you think they’re doing okay?” Karolina asks quietly, turning her head to look at the girl next to her. They’re both sweaty, both tired—not just from the hike, but from everything they’ve endured together. Nico sighs, giving a weak shrug of her shoulder. 

 

“I’m not too sure, really,” she answers honestly, “All we can do is hope that they are doing fine—wherever they are.” 

 

Karolina wraps an arm around Nico’s shoulders as they stare at the tree in silence. It’s been eighty years and they haven’t aged a day. 

 

Karolina and Nico are both stuck at the age of seventeen. They never would’ve chosen immortality had it been their choice—but the world they live in is unfair and full of surprises. 

 

Their surprise just happened to be a wicked old lady with supernatural powers and  _ really bad manners _ .

 

The two girls sit on the ground after the sun finally disappears beyond the horizon and the moon comes out. Karolina hums a pop song from (literally) decades ago as she takes Nico’s hand in her lap and traces shapes onto her hand absentmindedly. Nico tries to figure out what Karolina is drawing but comes to the conclusion that the girl is just doodling randomly and lets out a tired smile. 

 

“We can never find them, can we?” Karolina pauses her humming to ask the rather sad question, “It’ll be impossible?” she asks, waiting for Nico to confirm it so she can stop hoping (because all hoping ever did for her was break her heart).

 

“Not impossible,” Nico shakes her head. The word doesn’t exist in her dictionary anymore. Hell, she used to think that being immortal was impossible but  _ look at her now _ , “It’ll just be very difficult.”

 

“That makes me feel  _ so _ much better,” Karolina murmurs sarcastically. Nico gently hits her on the thigh which elicits a laugh from her. When her laughter dies down, the atmosphere becomes sullen once more. Karolina lets out a deep breath, “Hopefully they’re all still together.” 

 

“I’m sure they are,” Nico replies, “We were the only ones who got separated,” she states, remembering the painful memory. 

 

Many years ago, some people had found out about them—and those people weren’t very nice. The house they had been living in altogether had been raided by said people. It hadn’t even been five years since the immortality had been placed on them and their lives were already in danger. The immortality only froze their aging—it didn’t make them numb to pain or immune to murder—so, technically, they could still  _ die _ .

 

So, when the people showed up with guns—a weapon deadly enough to kill them  _ all  _ within seconds—their lives were all in danger. Karolina and Nico had been taken first considering they were the ones nearest the front door. Before the rest of their friends could try to get them free, Nico screamed for them to run. 

 

Two taken so the rest didn’t have to suffer was a fair enough trade in the unfair world they lived in. 

 

Karolina seemed to agree as she, too, told their friends to run away. As much as Chase wanted to stay and fight them away, he was smart enough to know to pick his battles—and if he were to choose that battle, he would’ve died.

 

And so their friends ran away.

 

“I miss them,” Karolina says. She stares down at the scars on her forearm matching with scars on Nico’s from one too many experiments put on them. Nico lets out a small hum and stares up at the treetops, finding a faint glow of the moon through dense leaves. She misses them, too—but she also doesn’t mind being alone with Karolina. 

 

“Where do you want to head to next?” Nico changes the topic. She feels the girl lay her head down onto her lap and the weight is oddly comforting. 

 

“Can we settle?” Karolina questions lightly as Nico runs her fingers through the girl’s blonde hair.

 

“Settle?” Nico asks with a tiny frown. Settling is never easy—especially when you’re confined to one community and people  _ notice _ you not aging. Questions get asked and eventually, the girls will have to pack up again.

 

“Not for long,” Karolina mumbles, closing her eyes, “I just don’t like travelling so much.”

 

“Okay,” Nico answers, “Just for a little.” 

 

She hears the small sigh thats comes out of Karolina’s lips and she feels Karolina’s head nudge her stomach as the girl scoots closer to her.

 

-

 

Nico snatches the half-empty bottle of vodka away from Karolina in a silent rage. 

 

“I told you not to drink,” she says with a clenched jaw towards the girl who is bent over her knees on the couch. Their apartment is small and dusty but it’s nothing compared to the streets they slept on before. 

 

“I’m  _ immortal _ ,” Karolina slurs, “It doesn’t even  _ matter  _ if I drink.”

 

“You’ll be living with a  _ fucked up _ liver,” Nico hisses, setting the bottle down onto the coffee table and sitting next to Karolina, “So— _ yes _ —it  _ does _ matter.”

 

The girl reeks of alcohol and Nico recoils in disgust momentarily before leaning in and pulling the girl’s arm over her shoulders, supporting her as they stand. 

 

“You need to shower.” 

 

“I need  _ Gert _ ,” Karolina says loudly into Nico’s ear as they stumble to the bathroom together, “and  _ Molly _ . and  _ Chase _ . and—“

 

“I get it,” Nico cuts her off as they reach the bathroom. She sets Karolina to lean against the wall as she goes to turn the shower on, “You need them,” she says, more to herself than to Karolina. 

 

There’s a slight tug on her heart but she ignores it, waiting for the water to turn warm with a hand under the running stream.

 

“Who… who do you miss the most?” Karolina mumbles, words blending into each other. Nico turns once the water isn’t too cold and goes to kneel down in front of Karolina, unbuttoning the girl’s shirt for her. Karolina stares at her with tired, red eyes, finger reaching up to poke Nico’s cheek, “Hmm? Who?”

 

“I miss all of them.” Nico replies just to get the girl to shut up as she finishes the last button.

 

“Stand up,” she orders the girl, who does what she is told. Once she’s bare, Nico helps her into the shower stall and makes sure she doesn’t slip and fall.

 

“The world is spinning,” Karolina states as she places a hand onto the wall to steady herself, eyes shutting. Nico sighs before stripping out of her own clothes and entering the shower. Karolina immediately latches onto the smaller girl for support.

 

“You told me you wouldn’t drink anymore,” Nico whispers as she rubs shampoo through the girl’s hair. Karolina leans her forehead onto Nico’s. 

 

“I’m sorry,” Karolina grumbles, “Are you mad?” 

 

The only reply Karolina receives is silence as Nico rinses out the shampoo from her hair.

 

-

 

“Where were you?” Nico asks angrily as Karolina walks into the apartment at nearly four in the morning. She stands from the couch and goes to walk towards Karolina who just slips past her, towards the kitchen. “What the hell, Karolina?” she follows Karolina.

 

“ _ What? _ ” Karolina snaps back, turning on her heel to look at Nico, “I’m here,  _ alright _ ? I’m  _ fine _ ,” the aggravation in her voice is clear, “You don’t have to be such a mother, Nico—my mother died decades ago—I  _ don’t  _ need another one.” 

 

Nico frowns, “I was just worried.”

 

“Well,  _ don’t be _ ,” Karolina retorts, “God, sometimes I wish I wasn’t stuck with you.”

 

As soon as the words leave her mouth, she regrets it. She regrets it because she sees Nico’s eyes instantly well up with tears and because she sees the girl’s eyebrows furrow together. She sees the girl’s nostrils flare slightly as she tries to keep in the shaky breath she wants to exhale as a silent sob. Something inside of her clicks and she rushes forward, throwing her arms around Nico’s body.

 

“I didn’t mean it,” she whispers, “I’m sorry, Nico. I didn’t mean it, I swear,” she mumbles into the girl’s shoulder. 

 

She feels Nico pushing her away and she holds on even tighter.

 

“I’ll find them,” Nico mumbles monotonously. Karolina feels the vibration of her words, “I’ll find them… and then we won’t have to be alone anymore. You won’t… be stuck with me anymore.”

 

Karolina pulls away just enough to look at Nico’s face but the girl isn’t looking at her. There are tears threatening to escape but Nico keeps them at bay. Karolina feels like she just utterly screwed up. 

 

“I didn’t mean it,” she repeats shakily. 

 

“Don’t lie to me,” Nico closes her eyes, a stray tear escaping. She unwinds Karolina’s arm from her body, “I just didn’t want to lose you like I lost the others,” she states, taking a step back and wiping the tear from her cheek. She opens her eyes and looks directly into Karolina’s. 

 

“I won’t be so clingy anymore.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Karolina fucked up harcore. She realizes that now, as she enters the apartment and doesn’t spot Nico waiting up for her like she usually does. It’s been a week since Karolina let those words slip out of her mouth and every night she stays up regretting it. She never meant to hurt Nico—hell, she  _ loves _ Nico—but now Nico’s pulled away so far that Karolina can barely hold a conversation with her.

 

“Nico?” she calls out into the apartment, walking towards their shared bedroom. What she definitely isn’t expecting is Nico sat on top of some guy, making out with him. “Nico?”

 

Nico leans away and that’s when Karolina realizes that the two are both missing their shirts. Karolina tightens her jaw as Nico simply clears her throat and slides off of the guy’s lap.

 

“See ya, Adam,” she says, patting the guy’s shoulder. He gets up and slips past Karolina, who’s still standing at the doorway. Nico puts her shirt back on before looking at Karolina without an ounce of emotion in her eyes, “What?”

 

Karolina gulps and shakes her head, turning on her heel, “I’m going to sleep on the couch.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


“You smell… Did you drank again?”

 

“No, I didn’t,” Karolina says quietly, “I just went to a club to dance. I didn’t drink, Nico—I haven’t drank since…”

 

“Okay.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Karolina stares at the side profile of Nico’s face as they sit next to each other in the trunk of their truck. Even though she sees the girl every day, Karolina misses her. Karolina misses holding her hand, misses kissing her cheek, misses laying her head in her lap, misses making her laugh. Karolina misses the girl she’s in love with so much that it hurts.

 

When Nico catches her staring, Karolina feels her heart jump to her throat. She wants Nico to say something,  _ anything _ , because her gaze is so guarded that Karolina can’t understand what she’s trying to say—not like the way she used to be able to—but Nico looks away after a minute and Karolina wants to cry.

 

And sometimes Karolina does cry. She cries when she’s alone—when she sleeps on the couch because Nico’s been with someone in  _ their _ bed—she cries when Nico can’t see her. She cries to random strangers in the club who think that she’s drunk but she’s  _ not _ , because she really hasn’t drank anything since she’s said those damn words to Nico, and it does nothing to ease the pain in her heart.

 

The people she tells about Nico, about how Karolina’s unfortunately in love with her best friend, will die in a few years and Karolina will continue having to live alongside Nico—who probably hates her at this point—and  _ that’s _ what Karolina meant by her words. Sure, she could have chosen better words, but she’s not keen on the idea of confessing that she’s in love with Nico—she wishes Gert was here because Gert knew about Karolina’s feelings for Nico way before Karolina even knew herself.

  
  
  
  
  


Now?

 

Karolina feels shitty every day and all she wants to do is to hug Nico again.

  
  
  


-

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


It’s surreal when Karolina arrives at the tree with Nico trailing behind her and her eyes spot four other people she hasn’t seen in  _ centuries _ . There are tight hugs from Molly and sloppy cheek kisses from Gert and hair ruffles from Chase and—just things Karolina missed but can finally have again. 

 

It seems like Nico had already said her greetings to their friends as she is calmly standing off to the side.

 

“How was spending two hundred years with Nico?” Chase asks with a snicker as she wraps an arm around Karolina’s shoulders and they all sit together in a circle, their family now reunited. The said girl looks away and gulps down the lump in her throat.

 

“It was nice,” Karolina answers simply even though for the last eighty years they had barely spoken. Nico had stuck to her promise, going as far as avoiding her at all costs. Karolina clears her throat, “How about your two hundred years with the rest of the crew?”

 

“Eventful,” Chase replies which makes the rest of them laugh. They take turns telling stories of all the shenanigans they've been through together. Nico just gives a small smile, staring over each and every member in their group. They all look the exact same as Nico had last seen them. 

 

It isn’t long until the whole gang is tired out from the reunion, all falling asleep on the forest floor, laying on each other. Nico is still sitting up, staring at the people around her. Even though they are complete again, she couldn’t help but feel like a part of her is missing.

 

She stands from the ground and walks towards the trail, only to be stopped when she heard footsteps behind her. She looks over her shoulder and spots Karolina hesitantly following her. Nico turns and keeps walking, stopping when she reaches one of the benches placed there when the trail had first opened. 

 

She sits and Karolina sits next to her, the silence devouring them. Nico speaks up into the darkness first.

 

“I told you I’d bring them back.”

 

“I believed you,” Karolina mumbles. She bites her lip nervously as she looks over to the smaller girl, “I’m just more worried about when  _ you’ll  _ come back to me.”

 

“I’m right here,” Nico says quietly—although she knows what Karolina truly means.

 

Karolina heaves a deep breath. 

 

“I’ll be truthful now,” she says, “I only said those words because I didn’t like…” she takes a moment to gather her thoughts and Nico watches her curiously, “Nico, I like you as more than a friend—more than a sister.” 

 

The news catches Nico off guard. 

 

“It hurt because you were the only one there for me and I’m  _ infatuated  _ with you and… I’m just—I’m sorry sorry for making the past decade a pain for you.”

 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Nico whispers.

 

“I—I didn’t exactly want to be  _ shunned  _ by the only person that’ll stay by me,” Karolina looks away and stands from the bench, “I just wanted to tell you that. I understand if you want to stay away from me from now on.”

 

“Do you think so lowly of me, Karolina?” Nico asks, slightly offended, “I would  _ never  _ hate you for such a reason.” 

 

She stands to come face-to-face with Karolina, who avoids her eyes.

 

“You should’ve just told me," Nico murmurs quietly, "We could’ve spent a lot more time doing something more interesting than just avoiding each other.”

 

“Like... what?” Karolina meets her eyes in anxiousness. 

 

Nico doesn’t answer with her words but, instead, with her actions. She leans up on her toes and places a gentle, lingering kiss on Karolina’s lips. It takes Karolina a second to register what's happening, but then she's kissing back softly. 

 

Karolina smiles in the kiss and pulls away because it's kind of hard to kiss and smile at the same time. Nico's smiling, too, and they stare at each other.

 

“I could get used to this,” Karolina whispers, lifting a hand to cup Nico’s cheek.

 

Nico grins.

 

“I already have.”

 

And then she leans in for another kiss.

 


End file.
